


A Warrior’s Instinct

by Imaginative_Wanderings



Series: Wild Accidentally Becomes Everyone’s Mom [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fable is Legend’s Zelda, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Wind loves Sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 14:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19993693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imaginative_Wanderings/pseuds/Imaginative_Wanderings
Summary: People always viewed Warriors as dramatic or over the top. It was hard to remember that for all his bravado, he was still raised as a knight. What will he do when those instincts are tested and he looks back on mistakes he made?





	A Warrior’s Instinct

Everything was going as well as could be expected for a little while. Not many fights broke out, and all of the Links were taking down monsters left and right. That was until the madness that is Fable came in contact with the group. 

Wild adored Fable, he really did. She was kind, and she loved her people. The part he had trouble with was the combination of Fable and Legend. 

The first time they’d all met Fable, she’d been disguised as a village person to socialize with her people without the title of Queen looming over her. The first thing she’d done was wink at Legend, which went without a second thought because this was Legend’s Hyrule. The second thing she’d done was cause a fight. 

“Hello there, beautiful,” Warriors tried to greet. Wild just watched him with an odd sense of foreboding. “Things are getting pretty dangerous out, right now. It’s better if you don’t walk so far out past the village and risk getting attacked.” 

Warriors speech was interrupted by the sound of Legend laughing, and of course he was immediately frustrated. 

“You might not wanna do that,” Legend warned. 

“What’s your deal, man? We’ve been doing the same thing with every villager we’ve met!” Warriors rolled his eyes. “I mean, more or less, but a pretty girl deserves a little more charm than you’d ever think of showing.” 

The girl in question shook her head and laughed. “This pompous, bleach-blond knight does know you outrank him, right _Legend_?” 

That was the moment Wild knew things were going downhill.

They all watched as the girl tossed her hood back, and it was immediately clear who she was. Legend just smiled and ran up to hug her. 

“Good to see you again.” The Zelda, Fable apparently, laughed and lightly punched his arm. He just lightly rubbed his arm. 

“Did you steal my disguise rune cloak, again?” Warriors was still on the side watching Legend have an actual conversation with someone, without sarcasm. 

“Yep, but I supposed you’d know something about disguises. By the surfer boy’s reaction, you didn’t give them all the details of your story,” she laughed and slipped the cloak back to Legend. 

“ _Surfer boy_?” 

Fable and Legend shot each other a smirk at Warrior’s fumbling. 

“Want to shut him up good, Link?” 

“Yeah, it’s about time.” 

“About time for what you mouth-breathing, uncivilized behemoth?” Legend spat out the words like they he was trying to regain a piece of his lost dignity. 

Wild tried to keep from laughing and signed to Twilight where the others couldn’t see. “ _Its like watching a train wreck in motion._ ”

Legend looked up, and at first he didn’t say anything. He just calmly walked as close as he could to Warriors, who looked like he was about to snap. 

The others watched him lean in to whisper to Warriors, but Wild was close enough to hear what he already knew. “Fable is my sister.” 

“What?! But that- it means- but you-“ 

Fable laughed, “It means he outranks you, pretty boy!”

“Pr-pretty?” Warriors stuttered our, holding onto his last piece of hope. 

“Keep dreaming, Sir Dyes-a-lot,” she quipped. Bless Warriors heart, she even finger-spelled “dyes” just so he’d get the point. 

“Alright, alright,” Wild stepped in. “Leave him be. The boy’s been destroyed enough.” 

Fable and Legend just laughed and gestured for the others to follow them. “We’ll take you back and give you somewhere nice to sleep tonight. That is...” Fable drew her words out, and Wild felt the same sinking feeling again, “if Goldilocks 2.0 can handle being in a castle where he’s not the highest Link in charge.” 

Wild almost said no tried to persuade them to say no. Almost. As much as he wanted to preserve Warriors from descending into an inferiority complex, the others could all use somewhere nice to sleep. 

Time nodded his consent as he looked around the group. “Seems like we’re going home with Legend and Fable tonight.” 

Hylia bless them all.

Wild was watching Warriors carefully, and he was pretty sure the boy was in shock. Watching everyone call Legend “Master Link” and “Your Highness” was taking a toll on the poor kid’s psyche. Not because he thought the two hated each other, he knew the got along when it mattered. Warriors was a knight, though. Knowing he’d treated a superior with such disrespect was nerve racking, that much penetrated even through Wild’s hazy memories. 

“You all can decide who wants to stay in a room together or you all can have separate rooms,” Fable told them. Something about being back in the castle took away the top layers of her witty nature, and she took on a more serious façade. Of course, being a queen could do that. 

In the end, Twilight and Time were sharing a room, Legend was staying in his own bedroom, and Wind had tangled the rest of them into having a sleepover because, “It’ll be so much fun!!” Wild could say he was genuinely looking forward to spending time with the others that wasn’t filled with killing things and solving problems. However, he was most determined to get the hazy look of defeat off of Warrior’s face.

A couple of hours later, the others had disappeared to a formal dinner that seemed to be typical for the castle. Hyrule, Wild, Wind, Four, and Sky were all left with food that Wild made for them in the kitchens and a room *covered* in pillows. 

Wild was pretty sure that Time and Twilight would’ve rather been with the others than a fancy meal, but they’d already promised Fable they would come before they knew what the dinner entailed. He was fairly sure Legend just wanted to spend more time with his sister either way. That was good enough for him, and it gave him to do some damage control with Warriors.

While Wind was talking with the others about what the plans are for that night, Wild tapped Warriors on the should and gestured towards the door. 

“Want to take a walk?” Wild asked softly. Warriors just nodded and followed Wild out of the room. 

The two of them wandered in silence for a while, and eventually, Wild found a way outside to the gardens. Warriors took a deep breath like he’d been holding it the entire time they were in the castle. 

“You doing alright?” Wild asked softly. It was a simple question, but Warrior’s answer would give him a sense of how willing he was to talk.

“I’ve been better, honestly,” Warriors replied sorry. “It’s really not that I’m upset about Legend. I mean, we fight and all, but we don’t hate each other...or at least I don’t think he hates me. I just...” 

Warriors trailed off, and sat down on a stone bench beside a bush of red flowers Wild didn’t recognize. Wild sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. 

“I understand. It’s about duty, instinct. Even with my nature and my memories, I understand that much.” Wild rubbed a hand up and down Warrior’s shoulders while he spoke. He’d learned what all the others liked when they were upset, and Warriors always responded well to touch and affirmation. They might’ve thought he was pompous, but Warriors was still as self-deprecating as the rest of them. 

“I-it’s not-I just-“ Warriors fumbled over his words for while, and his shoulders shook slightly under Wild’s hand. 

“ _I was never a good knight. Good fighter, sure, but not a good knight. I was reckless, and I had protocol and manners drilled into me over and over. I was celebrated for skill, not for etiquette._ ” 

Wild’s eyes widened slightly. He knew that most, if not all, of them knew hylian sign language, but Warriors never used it. Warriors always preferred to speak his mind and voice his opinion. Wild was almost positive he didn’t know sign. Then again, people surprise you, especially when you assume things about them. 

“It’s hard to overcome things programmed into you, but if it’s any consolation, Legend really doesn’t seem to care about protocol,” Wild tried quietly.

Warriors just scoffed. “ _What prince doesn’t care about protocol?_ ” 

Wild smiled and bent slightly to make eye contact with Warriors. “One who wasn’t raised in a palace.” At Warriors confused look, he continued. “Fable and Legend are twins, but Legend didn’t know until after much of his journey was over. He’d been raised outside the palace in a little village, even he doesn’t know why or remember much about it.” 

Warriors smiled a little bit. “ _That explains a lot. I guess it helps a little, but,_ ” he hesitated before continuing, “ _I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like, at any moment, someone’s coming to reprimand me for my mistake. I’m just tired of making so many of them._ ” 

Wild just sighed and moved to hug Warriors closer. There was nothing he could do to override Warrior’s instincts, just try to make it a little better.

“Mind if I take over?” Warriors and Wild both snapped their heads up to see Legend leaning against a pillar in the garden. Wild was pretty sure Warriors looked like he was going to pass out.

“Go ahead, he’s all yours,” Wild left to find his way back to the room they’d set up for the sleepover. He just hoped Legend would fix things with Warriors.

“You know...” Legend started slowly. Warriors was pretty sure there was anywhere he’d rather be right now. “Hey, man, are you even listening?” 

Warriors managed to look up at Legend, and could barely handle keeping eye contact. Instinct told him to keep his head low, not look the boss in the eyes. Looking the royal in the eyes was what got you in trouble; you weren’t on the same level. 

Legend sighed and shook his head. “You’re looking at me like everyone here does, like someone in charge. The truth is,” Legend moved to take the spot Wild had been sitting in, “I really don’t want to be in charge of anything.” 

Warriors just sighed softly. “Doesn’t matter. You’re still a prince.” 

Legend rolled his eyes, “Yeah, and you’re a doofus.” 

Warriors was sure by his tone that Legend was trying to joke around, but it just made him wince. Insults always came before the shoe dropped, and he couldn’t shake himself out of that mindset. What he didn’t see was the way Legend’s shoulders dropped as he flinched away. 

“Look, I would’ve warned Fable if I’d known how bad this would upset you. As much as we like to joke with people, neither of us set out to hurt those who don’t deserve it. I-“ Legend paused. Warriors could tell this was creeping too much into soul searching territory for him. “I completely forgot about how you’d been raised, about how you’d been trained. I was just looking to have some fun and rattle you a little, not make you feel like you’d done something wrong these past few months.” 

Warriors forced himself to meet Legend’s eyes again. Instead of the joking light or the sarcastic air he usually had, Warriors saw genuine concern on Legend’s face.

“ _I’m sorry for acting so stupid,_ ” Warriors signed weakly. 

Legend rolled his eyes, and before Warriors could process it, Legend had pulled him into a hug. “Stop apologizing, idiot. Maybe this’ll show you we’re on the same level if nothing else can. Nothing’s going to happen.” 

Warriors was pretty sure he was still shaking, but he managed to wrap his arms around Legend after he criticized his “ability to recall how a hug worked.” 

Legend pulled back and lightly hit Warrior’s shoulder. “Don’t forget you’re not my subordinate. We’re brothers, remember.” 

“You are still my subordinate, pretty boy,” Warriors looked up at the sound of Fable’s voice, “but that doesn’t mean you should feel bad for what you did. You were being yourself. I meant to have fun at your expense, but not to hurt you.” 

Warriors bowed his head lightly. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” 

Fable snorted. “Oh please, I live in a palace full of stiffs. It’s fun to have someone to match your wit everyone once in a while, especially since Legend isn’t around a lot these days.”

Warriors smiled weakly at the two of them. “How did you two even get what was going on? I mean, Wild was raised the same, that I understand, but what about you?” 

Legend laughed sheepishly, “We ran into Ravio. After generally being annoyed and messing with him, he got what was wrong out of me. He was a knight in his Hyrule, for a little while at least, and he was almost freaked at us being so reckless.” 

“Yeah, he spouted his ‘I’m used to it by now, you’re harmless,’ speech, but he told us how messed up by it you probably were,” Fable added. 

Warriors just laughed, “Sounds like I need to get him a thank you card.” 

“Ugh,” Legend groaned, “please don’t. It’ll just go straight to his ego.” 

The three of them laughed together, and Warriors felt like, for the first time, maybe his duty wasn’t as important as truly being friends. After all, trust was much more important than etiquette, and they needed all the trust they could get.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Legendary Interchange](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20048869) by [EstaJay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstaJay/pseuds/EstaJay)




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